Tony Kushner News

On Monday Evening, February 23 at 7:00 PM, six New York theater institutions will participate in a special panel discussion featuring five current and upcoming Off-Broadway shows. Harlem Stage (150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street) will host producing companies Classical Theatre of Harlem, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, The Public Theater and Signature Theatre Company in an evening titled I'VE KNOWN RIVERS: A Conversation with Christina Anderson, Charles Fuller, Lynn Nottage & Liesl Tommy.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the New York premiere of Shipwrecked!

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, a world premiere production of nine plays by Horton Foote that have been newly adapted by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright into a three-part theatrical event, will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) and Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director). The productions will be directed by Michael Wilson and performed at Hartford Stage from August 27, 2009 to October 17, 2009 and at Signature Theatre Company, from October 29, 2009 to April 11, 2010. Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons. Audiences may choose to see the individual parts or the entire trilogy. THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE encompasses nine newly adapted plays by Mr. Foote, together for the first time. Mr. Foote, 92, is actively adapting each of the full-length plays, some previously produced and others never before seen, into one epic cycle.

E. Faye Butler's Performance as Caroline Gets National Attention

Classic Stage Company's new production of Anton Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA, starring Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare as Vanya, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Yelena and Peter Sarsgaard as Astrov, extended its limited engagement through Sunday, March 8, it was announced today by CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen. Directed by Austin Pendleton, UNCLE VANYA will begin previews on this Saturday, January 17 at Classic Stage Company at 136 East 13th Street, with an official opening set for Thursday, February 12. The cast of UNCLE VANYA also features Mamie Gummer (Sonya), Louis Zorich (Waffles), George Morfogen (Srebryakov), Delphi Harrington (Maria) and Cyrilla Baer (Marina). UNCLE VANYA will feature scenic design by Tony Award winner Santo Loquasto, who received wide acclaim last season at CSC for his design of The Seagull and who has designed numerous Chekhovian productions in his esteemed career including the famed Lincoln Center production of The Cherry Orchard in 1977. Costume design is by Suzy Benzinger, who also designed last season's The Seagull, and lighting design is by Jason Lyons. The play is translated by Carol Rocamora. O'Hare, who last performed at CSC in Yasmina Reza's A Spanish Play, stars as Vanya, the quintessential superfluous man, who wakes up one morning to discover he has wasted his life in the service of others, in Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece of dashed dreams, thwarted love and eternal longing. The play was first performed at the legendary Moscow Art Theater in 1899, directed by Constantine Stanislavsky.

Due to very strong ticket sales, Classic Stage Company's new production of Anton Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA, starring Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare as Vanya, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Yelena and Peter Sarsgaard as Astrov, has extended its limited engagement through Sunday, March 8, it was announced today by CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen. Directed by Austin Pendleton, UNCLE VANYA will begin previews on this Saturday, January 17 at Classic Stage Company at 136 East 13th Street, with an official opening set for Thursday, February 12. The cast of UNCLE VANYA also features Mamie Gummer (Sonya), Louis Zorich (Waffles), George Morfogen (Srebryakov), Delphi Harrington (Maria) and Cyrilla Baer (Marina). UNCLE VANYA will feature scenic design by Tony Award winner Santo Loquasto, who received wide acclaim last season at CSC for his design of The Seagull and who has designed numerous Chekhovian productions in his esteemed career including the famed Lincoln Center production of The Cherry Orchard in 1977. Costume design is by Suzy Benzinger, who also designed last season's The Seagull, and lighting design is by Jason Lyons. The play is translated by Carol Rocamora. O'Hare, who last performed at CSC in Yasmina Reza's A Spanish Play, stars as Vanya, the quintessential superfluous man, who wakes up one morning to discover he has wasted his life in the service of others, in Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece of dashed dreams, thwarted love and eternal longing. The play was first performed at the legendary Moscow Art Theater in 1899, directed by Constantine Stanislavsky.

In his New York Post column this Friday, Michael Riedel writes that 'I had a cameo last week, reading a particular favorite of mine: 'The Unimaginable Life: Lessons Learned on the Path of Love' by Kenny Loggins.

Broadway's most talked about new musical and the biggest Tony Award?-winner in years is coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Spring Awakening, the 8-time Tony Award? winning Broadway musical, will play a two-week engagement from February 10-22, 2009. Curtain times for the U.S. Bank Broadway Series presentation are Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 & 8 p.m.; Sunday, February 15 at 2 & 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. There is also a weekday matinee on Thursday, February 19 at 1 p.m.

In anticipation of its upcoming production of Eugene O'Neill's epic drama Mourning Becomes Electra, A Trilogy, The New Group proudly presents O'Neill and his Electra, an evening of conversation with Tony Kushner, Arthur and Barbara Gelb and Zoe Caldwell. This one night only special event takes place Friday, January 16 at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $20 and may be arranged through Ticket Central at www.ticketcentral.com or (212) 279-4200. This event is free to New Group subscribers.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' will feature 'Making Ogre Broadway' on CUNY TV on Sunday, January 11 at 5 p.m. The segment will repeat on Friday, January 16 at 9 a.m., 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from Americantheatrewing.org beginning Wednesday, January 14.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' will feature 'Making Ogre Broadway' on CUNY TV on Sunday, January 11 at 5 p.m. The segment will repeat on Friday, January 16 at 9 a.m., 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m. The program becomes available as streaming audio and podcast from Americantheatrewing.org beginning Wednesday, January 14.

terraNOVA Collective is proud to announce Subterranean, a new monthly party in the D-Lounge, a 75-seat cabaret-style venue below the D?R?2 Theatre at 101 East 15th Street at Union Square, commencing on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 10:00pm. As the newest addition to terraNOVA's residency at the D?R?2 Theatre complex, Subterranean will present a variety of performers, including spoken word, music, burlesque, magic, storytelling, short play readings, vaudeville acts and DJs.

Theater veterans Mark Lamos and Michael Ross have been named artistic director and managing director, respectively, of Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut, as the historic theater enters its 79th season. The new leadership team will assume their positions on February 1, 2009.

Classic Stage Company's upcoming new production of Anton Chekhov's UNCLE VANYA, starring Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare as Vanya, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Yelena and Peter Sarsgaard as Astrov, has set its official opening night for Thursday, February 12 at 7 pm, it was announced today by CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen.

There will be a reading of Angels In America at the Players Club Of Swarthmore on January 2,3, and 4th.

DATE CHANGE: The Library Foundation's Pen Pals Author Lecture Series with Tony Kushner has been rescheduled for January 29 and 30. Additional details and ticket information are available at: http://www.hclib.org/pub/info/support/penpals2008_09/

terraNOVA Collective is proud to announce Subterranean, a new monthly party in the D-Lounge, a 75-seat cabaret-style venue below the D?R?2 Theatre at 101 East 15th Street at Union Square, commencing on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 10:00pm. As the newest addition to terraNOVA's residency at the D?R?2 Theatre complex, Subterranean will present a variety of performers, including spoken word, music, burlesque, magic, storytelling, short play readings, vaudeville acts and DJs.

There will be a reading of Angels In America at the Players Club Of Swarthmore on January 2,3, and 4th.

E. Faye Butler's Performance as Caroline Gets National Attention

Astoria Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce the production of RAGTIME, a musical directed by APAC's very own Artistic Director, Tom Wojtunik. Ragtime will play a 3-week limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102). Performances begin Thursday, February 5th and continue through Sunday, February 22nd.